JDA Software Group, Inc. is an American software and consultancy company, providing supply chain management, manufacturing planning, retail planning, store operations and collaborative category management solutions James Donald Armstrong in 1978, founded Calgary, Alberta as a Canadian IBM mid-range software provider. In 1985 Armstrong sold the Canadian business and, along with Frederick M. Pakis, formed U.S.-based JDA Software, Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio. After signing a contract with a Phoenix-based automotive retailer in 1987, all eight JDA employees relocated to the new headquarters in Arizona. After ten years of operation as a privately held firm, JDA became a public corporation on March 15, 1996, re-purchased the original Canadian "JDA" company, and reestablished presence in Canada. In 1998, JDA completed their first major acquisition, the Arthur Retail division, a vendor of planning and allocation software.
Manhattan Associates is a supplier of supply chain management software. Manhattan Associates was founded by Alan Dabbiere, Prahlad Suresh, Deepak Raghavan, Deepak M.J. Rao and Ponnambalam Muthiah in 1990 in Manhattan Beach, CA for the purpose of applying information technology solutions to distribution centers. The company's first product, called PkMS, managed receiving stock, locating stock, picking stock, verifying stock, packaging, and shipping stock in and out of a warehouse. In 1994, it signed its 50th customer and generated $6.5 million in revenues.
